"There are some artists that love that limelight," Keyshia Cole told the San Francisco Chronicle. "I don't do it for that… I just do it because of all the s--- I've been through. I want girls my age to understand. The girls I sing to is in the 'hood. They're in predicaments that I'm sure it's hard to get through, to be focused and try to be in school and try to keep a job, try to keep their minds straight… That's why I sing — for them. I can't let 'em down."
And Keyshia Cole should know -- her own stories come from the heart -- and from the street. Born to a drug-addicted mother, Keyshia grew up poor within the foster care system, singing to drug dealers for money on the hard streets of East Oakland. By 16, she'd dropped out of school, left home and eventually moved to Los Angeles after catching her boyfriend cheating on her. A bad scene, no doubt, but it was a bold move that eventually led to a meeting with Jimmy Iovine and, later, a record deal.
Focus and fearlessness have always guided the grounded, down-to-earth young R&B singer with outspoken tendencies and an unwillingness to hide who she is: after the 2005 release of her debut album, The Way It Is, which went certified platinum (her 2007 album, Just Like You, also went platinum and earned her two Grammy nominations) Keyshia famously exposed her still-rocky relationship with her birth mother on the hit BET reality show Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is... The series gave fans an intimate and inspiring look at a celebrity unafraid to confront, embrace, and share her reality.
But just because Keyshia Cole hasn't been blinded by the glare of publicity doesn't mean she isn't a true star. Down in Atlanta, we boarded Keyshia's tour bus and caught her on camera, sharing everything from her musical influences to the intent behind her songwriting process, to her tattoos: a star, a cross and a heart all up one shoulder, and the word faith, which not only ties together the meaning of her body art but also embodies the energy of her work and her powerful performance. We also shot Keyshia and her backup singers in Savannah, Georgia, singing a cappella, coincidentally on the same park bench where the classic scenes from Forrest Gump -- another symbol of fortitude and faith, much like Keyshia herself -- were shot.
And where else did all that faith and fortitude land Keyshia Cole? A spot on MTV as this week's Artist of the Week. Experience Keyshia's raw honesty, real emotion and pure passion all this week.